Beacon detective suspended after probe into conduct with informant

Jan. 8, 2013

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Poughkeepsie Journal

ONLINE

BEACON — A city police officer was suspended from duty with pay after an investigation into his conduct with a police informant, according to court documents.

Detective Sgt. Richard Sassi Jr. is due in Dutchess County Court in March to answer a misdemeanor charge of lying to authorities after being found without his pants on in an informant’s Fishkill apartment, according to court records. He is alleged to have called 911 Aug. 31 to report a false robbery in progress, after an altercation occurred with his informant’s boyfriend, records show.

A call to Sassi for comment was not immediately returned.

Since Oct. 21, he has been suspended with pay, as per terms in his employment contract, Beacon Police Chief Douglas Solomon said.

“The incident was brought to my attention very early on,” Solomon said. “My office immediately started an internal investigation, which made its way to the District Attorney’s Office.”

Sassi is charged with third-degree falsely reporting an incident. He was arraigned in Dutchess County Court before Judge Stephen Greller on Monday, and is due back March 25. He was released without bail.

Sassi went to an informant’s apartment at 11 p.m. to interview her about a robbery, court records show. Records say he brought beer, touched her leg and attempted to remove her shirt, but she told him that didn’t feel right. He was interrupted by a noise outside the apartment, which the informant went to investigate, according to court records. She found her boyfriend outside and let him in the front door, while Sassi ran to a closet. The boyfriend found Sassi in the closet, wearing only his boxers, court records said. He pushed the police officer and threw his clothes out of reach, and tried to take cellphone photographs of him. Sassi is accused of pointing his gun at the boyfriend, saying he was a police officer and the man should back up. Sassi then called 911 to report a robbery, identifying himself as “Mike Smith,” according to court records.

“Our policy is a minimum of two officers have to be present when meeting with informants,” Solomon said. He added drinking is prohibited for on-duty officers and that sexual relations with informants “would not be proper,” he said.

The police chief would not comment on Sassi’s future employment as an officer with Beacon. Sassi also was removed from the Dutchess County Drug Task Force. Task Force Assistant Coordinator Frank Tasciotti declined to comment.